Shenzhen announced a series of measures to develop the cultural industry, aiming to increase the cultural industry output to 10 percent of the city's GDP by 2010.

The city plans to develop the cultural industry into one of its four pillar industries, along with the high-tech, logistics and finance sectors.

The government named eight specific cultural aspects -- media, animation, publishing, creative design, printing, audiovisuals, entertainment and travel -- as key industries to be developed.

Ten specific measures were approved to develop the city's cultural industries, said Wang Jingsheng, publicity chief of Shenzhen Municipal CPC committee on the city's cultural working conference for 2005 Monday.

The ten measures include:

* Developing cultural system reform by promoting reforms of professional cultural groups including the Canton opera group, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and the Shenzhen Song and Dance Troupe.

* Planning a series of cultural activities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, including a photographic exhibition and a concert.

* Building a public cultural service system. This year the city will organize a concert tour by the city's teenage pianists, an international concerto competition and other programs on designing.

* Preparing the city's cultural industry working conference. Shenzhen is to be developed into a base for cultural industries. Digital TV, video and animation, printing, and creative design industries will be highly promoted.

* The city is to hold a Shenzhen cultural week in Washington and Huston in September and October. A French cultural week is to be held in Shenzhen to introduce French culture.

* Promoting the production of films, TV series and animation programs.

* Clamping down on illegal publishing.

* Establishing a cultural relics' data bank and starting relic protection work in Dapeng in Longgang District. As this year is set as a cultural relics protection year, Shenzhen will engage in archaeological studies and protection work.

* Strengthening anti-porn campaigns by improving the cultural market monitoring network.

* Establishing a cultural talent bank to make best use of the city's cultural talents.

(Shenzhen Daily January 27, 2005)